Within a decade, Grant had gone from selling firewood to living in the White House. He was so broke after being kicked out of the army for drunkenness. He could neither manage the farm his father gave him nor keep the clerical job his brother offered him. The future looked bleak to him. But Service rescued him.
As an ex soldier, Ulysses S. Grant offered to help organise local voluntary regiments on the Union side in 1861 when civil war broke in America. He moulded the local Illinois regiments into a glittering fighting army and being in charge of the entire division, he won battle after battle and through his acts of service, he was appointed the commander of the entire army Union by President Abraham Lincoln. Under Grant’s leadership, the Union won, and the civil war was over.
His acts of service were exemplary, and through service, he rose from pitiable to an idol, from zero to hero, from failure to victorious, and his shame was turned to fame. He became the Lt. General of the US army, the first man to achieve this rank after George Washington and in1986, he was elected the president of the United States of America, serving two terms and being the first president to serve two full terms in more than 30 years. He wouldn’t have achieved all these if he didn’t embrace a life of service.
The story of Grant is a reminder that opportunities stand before us at all times, in whatever we do and wherever we are. We only need to ignite and activate the spirit of service in order to blossom. If we concentrate on service to others and make it a habit, whether in short term or in the autumn of our lives, our works of service is definitely going to keep us at the top of the heap.
Service seems in short supply in recent times. Despite all the progress made in science and technology, despite the achievements we have made in life, despite how sophisticated the world has become, our world seems to be broken by the lack of service which is an essential human requirement. We are on an edge. We long for peace, security, joy, and happiness, but we forget to find a way to lead the life we hope for through service.
In the words of Martin Luther King, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Douglas Adams also stated, “To give real service, you must add something which can not be bought or measured with money.” Life is a manifestation of service, and the highest moral responsibility we have towards others is to concentrate on selfless service to others and make it a mission to serve people with sincerity, commitment, and honesty.
Service is weighed in how we behave towards others. Perfect service is when we behave towards others like they are great guests. Modelling a life of service is behaving towards others, the way we would want them to behave towards us. Service is golden, it can not be quantified with money or any material gift. It keeps the mind and heart clean and pure towards others.
Sadly, the place of service is lacking in many spheres of our lives. Many are filled with the spirit of instant gratification at the expense of selfless service. Most children and youths shun any opportunity to render help. They are more concerned with what they stand to gain at any given time and opportunity. They craft the shrewdest strategy to manoeuvre others for their personal interest. They indulge in illicit acts and practices to gain relevance and make quick money.
At the government level, the structure of authority from the leaders to the least of the citizen is such that everyone lord over their subjects/ subordinates and scramble for power with the intention to exercise undue power and authority. A leader’s ethics should be built on service.
We are called to a life of service and to be great at it. In whatever station of life we are placed, as a parent, a teacher, a pupil, a child, we should serve others even as we are served. Service needs to start from home and be inculcated in every child. Every relationship should be centred on service. Service is the new love language!
*BIBLE VERSE*
*Galatians 5:13*
*You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love*
*PROVERB*
*A raised salary has been earned by service*
*Sicilian Proverb*
*RIDDLE*
*If a pirate was to join the war, what branch of the armed service would they probably go in to?*
*Amara Ann Unachukwu*
